AllFreeNovel
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“How is Gail doing?” I ask. Her mom was not a fan of mine, and the feeling was mutual. She disappointed Mollie far too many times by not showing up that summer. Was that to my advantage? Yes, but I saw how much it hurt when she didn’t show when she said she would.
“She died a few months ago,” she says and I feel like an asshole.
“I’m so sorry, Mollie.”
She shrugs. “Me too. The good news is that she changed a lot over the years and realized how much she was missing by working so much. We had some really great times over the years.”
“I’m glad you got more time with her.”
“It’s hard to think of her gone, I still don’t believe it some days.” A single tear trails down her cheek and I resist the urge to catch it. “It helps to be here, and my dad is supportive.”
“How long ago did you get a divorce?” I ask before I can help myself.
“Technically, he left me a month before my mom died, but right before I came down here, we signed the papers.”
“Wow, that’s a lot of shit to go through in a short amount of time.”
She swallows and I see another tear leak out.
“Man, I’m really being a shit head aren’t I?” I ask. “Want to hear about how my life sucks?”
She laughs and nods. “Absolutely.”
“I’ve been a defense attorney for almost ten years and was about to make partner if I ignored evidence and got a serial rapist off because his daddy has money.”
“That’s horrible.”
“It was, so I left and came down here last winter. So now instead of working 80 hours a week defending the scum of the earth, I’m making furniture in my aunt’s backyard.”
“Sounds like you made a good choice.”
“I guess, unfortunately, he still got off.”
“That is not surprising. Gross, but not surprising.”
“I didn’t even get to the best part. My long-term girlfriend was stealing money from me and fucking my therapist in our apartment when I came home early after quitting. Classic story.”
“I’m sorry, Owen, that sucks.”
I shrug because when I tell it, it sounds like a bad story, but honestly, I haven’t been this happy in years. “I wish it didn’t happen but I’m not sorry to be out of that relationship.”
We sit in silence, both sipping our drinks. The wind picks up again and she shivers.
“I’m going to head inside,” she says and I stand to leave. “I’m here for at least a few months.”
I nod. “I hope it’s peaceful. I won’t bother you.”
“Wait,” she says, pulling the hoodie over her head, her shirt underneath hiking up with it and I get a glimpse of her lacy bra.
“Thanks,” I say taking it as she pulls her shirt down, her cheeks reddening.
I wave and walk back to my house, feeling strange about the whole exchange. It’s been years since I’ve seen her and yet it’s like it was yesterday. We’ve both had shitty things happen and something tells me she hasn’t even told me everything. Why would she? I haven’t told her all of it either.
We are both here for a while, both single, and both hurting. Why not find comfort in each other? The best sex I’ve had is with her. Why couldn’t it be good again?
Maybe I could fuck her a few times and then be done with it.
Opening a fresh beer, I pick up my sweatshirt to put on but it smells too much like her. Instead, I throw on a different hoodie and head to the beach to walk. It’s windy but not freezing, and walking on the beach clears my head.
